Heli-Expo 2013 closes with crescendo . . .
“Helicopters are alive and well”, proclaims Heli-Expo 2013! Over 725 exhibitors and 20,000 attendees trumpeted six years of successive growth for the show. “How to Get a Job in Aviation”, one of this column’s previous articles, was lived out by 900 applicants showing up at a Job Fair hosted by 24 companies looking to hire the best in aviation. Scores of new innovations and milestones were unveiled, a few highlighted below:
Medical Service Providers again appeared to be major purchasers with announced sales by the big three: Bell, Sikorsky, and Eurocopter. It appears hospitals still have money to attract high dollar patients that helicopters deliver fresh from the accident scene or outlying areas.
Robinson Helicopter expects to surpass its 2012 production of 517 units, 191 of them turbines. Any aircraft company today would be pleased to sell 500 ships, yet alone helicopters!
Bell confirmed their Model 525 Relentless is 
still on target for first flight in 2014, mockup shown here, while their best selling 407 series is being equipped with tactical armament to meet a military roll as the 407GT.
Agusta unveils “Project Zero” an all-electric tiltrotor. Last year this futurist aircraft completed untethered hover flights at their sleepy Cascina Costa facility near Milan Italy. “Sleepy” for afternoon siestas noted in the 70’s but obviously not so today when producing this futuristic ship. It may eventually be equipped with a small diesel to recharge batteries in flight. 
Don’t let the faux canopy mislead you; currently designed as a drone, it is doubtful that it will gain manned capability of its AW609 big brother. In attaining its light weight it lacks coaxial engine coupling in event of one motor or propeller out, a desirable option with pilot on board.
Missed the show? Plan to join us next year in Orlando for the “Greatest Helicopter Show on Earth!”